Bittersweet - Larry

20

***

We weren't late for the wedding, but half the guests were already seated when we arrived at the church. Desmond's suit was similar to mine, and my mom was beyond beautiful. I was standing with her while Harry and Gemma were standing with Desmond. It would've seemed more natural if Gemma and I had switched places, and we had considered it, but we ended up not doing it as it felt more right this way.

I zoned out when the priest started talking and instead of listening, I looked at the guests instead. Sophie was sitting with Harry and Gemma's grandparents, and Liam smiled at me when I found him next to Zayn. I smiled back and looked at my mom and Desmond, eyes quickly finding Harry's instead as he was already looking at me.

"I do," Desmond said, forcing my attention back to him and my mom while the priest kept talking.

"I do," my mom said, breaking into a smile while I looked at Harry again, catching him blink his tears away. 

I teared up myself, but unlike Harry, I didn't try to blink them away because lying was easy. It wasn't necessary to come with an excuse when my mom was getting married. But I wasn't crying because of her newfound happiness. I was crying because of Harry. It wasn't happy tears, but rather the kind that was filled with some form of devastation. I wanted him, but he was officially my stepbrother now, and it was so, so taboo.

"You may kiss the bride." 

Desmond smiled and took my mom's face in his hands before he kissed her. I looked at Harry again, craving his lips against mine, and it seemed like the urge was growing now that I wasn't allowed to. It would've been essential for us to slow down before stopping. I didn't regret anything we had done, but if we had eased ourselves into it, it wouldn't have felt so overwhelming to stop.

***

During desert, Harry took Sophie again and let her sit on his lap. Everyone had moved around to talk to people who weren't at their assigned tables. Harry and I had done the same and had stolen a couple of seats at Liam and Zayn's table. Harry was more focused on Sophie than anything else, and I adored the sight of them, but our attention was forced back to Zayn when he spoke up.

"I came out to my parents."

"You did?" I asked.

"Yes." 

I hadn't expected him to do it so soon, but I had noticed he was more affectionate with Liam than usual. I hadn't thought much about it as it had made me more jealous than anything else. I had forced myself not to think about their upcoming happiness, but it was unavoidable now, and I couldn't deny I was proud of him for coming out when he was so afraid.

"How did it go?" Harry asked.

"As I expected," he said. "They kicked me out."

"I'm sorry," we said at the same time. 

Liam reached out to take his hand under the table, the movement noticeable, but I doubt he was trying to hide anything.

"Don't be."

"It feels good, doesn't it?" I asked. "To be out?"

"I feel like I can finally breathe."

"Where are you staying?"

"At Liam's."

"I told you he'd be up for it." 

Liam chuckled in response while Zayn looked at him the way Liam wanted to be looked at.

"What about you two?" Liam asked.

"What about us?" I asked.

"Are you done kissing all the time?"